Theodore eugene schiefner



A(No Model.)

'I'. B. SCHIEFNBR.

MACHINERY POR DBGORTIGATING RHBA 0R RAMIE, NET-TLES, zc. No. 339,330. CQ, C@ G 336.1 Apr. l3, 1336x En l2 lll lll lll lll 2 lis-zeal J d..

ilrvrrr: STATES Artnr trices rrnnononn incense sonmrnnn, or nssonnns, DEPARTMENT or seins-nroisn, rennen.

MACHINERY FR DECORTICATING RHEA R RAll1lE,NETTLES,&C.

ZIFSCATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 339,330, dated April 6, 1886.

Application filed September 9A, i585. Serial No. iTGO. (No model.) Patented in France august 7, 1883, No. 156,912.

To @ZZ trimm it may concern.-

Be it known that I, Tnhononn EUGENE Sonrnrnnn, manager of Feray Sr Co.s Vorks, of Essonnes, Department of Seine et (lise,

France, have invented Improvements in Machinery for Decorticating Rhea or Itamie, Nettle, China Grass, Iita, Yucca, Pine-Apple, Jute, Ananassa, Hemp, and other Textile Matters, (for which I have obtained Letio ters Patent ol' France for fifteen years, dated August 7, 1883, So. 156,912;`) and I do hereby declare that the following is a fu and exact description thereof. 4

My invention relates to a machine specially intended for decorticating ramie; but it may also he applied to the decortication of any plant and textile fiber-such as china-grass, pita, yucca, pine-apple,ananassa, esperto, flax, hemp, and other fibers. Ramie fibers always 2o bear decortication better in a drystate than in a green condition. The yield is also much greater in the dry state. Still it may be useful and economical to use the fibers immediately they are cut or gathered, and while green without previously drying them.

The apparatus is as compact and light as it can be constructed, so that it is easy to transportto the spot where the crop is growing or is cut or gathered.

In the annexed drawings, Figure l is a view of the machine, taken from the side where the mechanism communicates motion to the decorticators. Fig. 2 is avertical section taken through the plan which shows the mechanism by which the fibers are drawn along.

The prin cipal parts are the first group of four grooved rollers, D D bt If', )receded by the feeding-table c, succeeded by the guidetable d, above which the cleaningbrush c works; then 4o the second group of four grooved rollers, ff f'ij',which are followed by the board or shelf g, the brush h, iu combination with the roller It', and finally the guide-table g. The axes of the grooved rollers b b b2 b3 ff/ f" f3 of the 4 5 brushes c I1v and of the roller 7L move in bearings fitted in the frames of two cast iron brackets, a', of fixed size and form. In front the frame :v bears the dri ving-shaft e on special cushions 1r', on which the pulleysp are mounted,

5o and on the front face the plate This plate l'orms the support to the eccentric axis in of a pinion, in, which in following the plate z' makes a revolution concentric with the axle my. rIhe pinion m gears with the large toothed wheel n,wl1ich is loose on the shaft j for this purpose, to which latter the lever Z is articulated,.oscillating at Z with a connecting-rod j, which connects the axle m with the axle j', serving as axis to the wheel 1a. The permanent gearing of t-he pinion m and wheel n is transmitted by a pinion, o, which follows the movements of this latter wheel to an intermediate toothed wheel, k, the teeth of which work in those of two cog-wheels, qq', of equal dimensions,\vl1ich respectively drive the pinions r 'r' and lr2 r, mounted at the end of the shafts of the lower decorticating-rollers, b b ff. By this novel arrangement these working-rollers move in the same direction and at the same speed. At the side where the transmitting -pulleys p are situated the drivingshaft is also supplied with a pulley or drum, s', corresponding with which are, first, the pulley t on the shaft of the Iirst brush, c; second, the pulleys c o on the shafts of the second brush, h, and the roller l1. and, third, three guide-drums, tru u', placed in such a posit-ion as to guide and stretch the belt which passes from the pulley s over the pulleys t and -v c. An equal speed of rot-ation of the brushes c and 7L is thus produced, the same as is the case with the decorticatingrollers.

Action of the machina- The machine works as follows: The rhea or ramie, in either a dry or green condition, is spread out bythe operator on the table (nn/hence it is pushed forward to the grooved rollers b b2. These rollers have a reciprocating rotatory motion, turning a cer tain number of teeth to lead the matter to the following grooved rollers; then returning, but rotating by a less number of teeth, to bring the ramie to the rear, thus imparting an alternate to-and-fro motion, thelatter being less than theforlner. Thus the matter is progressively conducted, after having undergone the decorticating action of the grooved rollers, under which it passes, sometimes advancing, sometimes receding. 'Ihe reciprocating rotatory motion of the lower rollers, b b', and consequently that of the upper ones, b b3, which gear with them, is due to the permanent con nection of the eccentric pinion m and the oscillating toothedwheeln. On the other hand, by means of the same driving-shaft and the endless belt of the pulleys s t t', o c', and u u', a continuous circular movement at the same speed is imparted to the two brushes c and h, the action of which on the decorticated fibers is to expel the skin they still contain, and to comb them, as it were, and thus free them fromV this skin.

Remarks: Finally, it shouldbe mentioned that the frame x has been designed specially for meeting the requirement for establishing the machine in the shop or Works Where decortication is to be effected as Well as for mounting it on a Wheeled platform in order to facilitate its conveyance from place to place, so that it can be used on the very spot Where the matter to be decorticated is gathered or cut.

Having now described the construction and action of my invention, I declare that what I claim is i l. The combination and grouping of the four front and grooved rollers, b b b2 b, the cleaningbrush c, the four other grooved rollers, f f f 2 f3, and the last cleaning-brush, h.

2. The means for transmission of motion by Wheel-Work to the grooved rollers b b b2 b3 and f f f 2 f3, which by couples strictly follow the same course and are animated With the same speed, this transmission of motion being moreover characterized by the forward movement imparted to the said grooved rollers being more ample than that of the backward motion, thus producing the progressive to and fro movements of the matter under treatment.

8. The combination of the toothed Wheel- Work m, n, o, and k, producing the rotatory reciprocating movements of the grooved decorticating rollers.

4. The mode of transmitting motion by means of an endless belt to the cleaningbrushes, by which meanstheymove in precisely the same direction and at the same speed.

5. The general construction, consisting of the grooved rollers, eccentric guide-tables, and endless belt, and the arrangement of the frame which admits of the machine being worked at the Works or on the very spot whore the crop is cut or gathered.

'IHODORE EUGNE SCHIEFER.

Vi tnesses:

HENRY SANFORD BERGMAN, ALPiIoNsE BLTRY. 

